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@watchfred

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Fred S. Mandelbaum
Breitling Brand Historian
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no watches for sale, sorry
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foundations of a legend - #NaviFriday

clockwise - the Chronomat, based on a 1940 logarithmic sliderule “smartwatch“ patent, a solid gold example from 1944, then a 1942 Premier ref. 734 with Venus 178 manufactured by theBreitling Huit Air Force division with huge radium arabics and hands next to the 1953 Co-Pilot 765AVI that adds a rotating bezel, finally a 1954 #Navitimer pre-ref with the E6B “Flight Computer“.

#Breitling #watchfam #watchesofinstagram by @watchfred

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a day ago

details… ❤️
sublime late 1940s Tri-Compax

#universalgeneve #compax #houseofbrands #watchfam #watchesofinstagram by @watchfred

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4 days ago

Wild. Quirky. Amusing. Witty. Cumbersome.

All in one!

One of the rarest and scarcest Gallet chronographs ever made, powered by a wonderfully bizarre movement. Two date discs rotate against each other, displaying dates all the way up to 39. So, at the end of the month, you have to go all the way up until 01 finally shows up again. Humanly imperfect. And all the more charming for it.

This type of movement and dial can be found across a dozen different watches and brands. For years, we thought the loose dials popping up on eBay were fakes. That is, until 2023, when I stumbled upon proof in an old catalogue: the Gallet Big Date Chronograph was real all along.

Sometimes, the weirdest things are the most wonderful. And sometimes, the truth is hiding in an old catalogue. 🕰️

#gallet #galletchronograph #bigdatewatch by @watchfred

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5 days ago

#universalgeneve ❤️ October sun and the BroadArrow ref. 20217/8 with its radium-heavy „NiteLite“ dial - among my very favorite #Polerouter.

#houseofbrands #watchfam #watchesofinstagram by @watchfred

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6 days ago

#NaviFriday with a 1968 Navitimer Mk8 “Big Eyes” in rather lovely condition ❤️

#breitling #navitimer #watchesofinstagram #watchfam by @watchfred

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8 days ago

What would one of the most unique vintage Gallet Flying Officer gatherings of all time look like?

Like this. ;)

Black dial with Waterproof printing — the earliest version.

White dial — the most commonly found variant.

Orange dial — the most puzzling of them all, with its origins still waiting to be uncovered.

And that’s exactly what some collectors love most. Keep digging, piece together bits of archival information, archive clips, auction records, and personal memories. Sometimes, the smallest clues lead to the biggest discoveries.

#gallet #galletwatch #galletflyingofficer by @watchfred

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8 days ago

70 years of the Navitimer and this beauty is lookin fine at 59! by @watchfred

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11 days ago

defining the Breitling design DNA until today - patented in October 1940, 87 years ago. Chronomat, the Gentleman’s “wrist computer” for mathematicians, engineers, businessmen, pilots and motor racers…

not to forget pigeon racing, of course, according to the 1941 launch ad:😎

“Tachymeter and telemeter dials are no longer necessary!
All calculations are possible with this new chronograph. No more distance or observation time restrictions for tachymeter and telemeter calculations, in a word:
The chronograph with slide rule!

Speed calculations
Ballistic calculations
Meteorological calculations
Engine and gliding flight calculations
Racing pigeon flight calculations

Speed measurement of any movement regardless of speed or duration”

#Breitling #BreitlingIcon #Chronomat #watchesofinstagram #watchfam by @watchfred

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11 days ago

#NaviFriday - with one of my youngest watches, the Navitimer ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition, launched at Basel 2019.

I’m biased, deeply biased - but love it dearly 😁

#Breitling #Navitimer #watchfam #watchesofinstagram by @watchfred

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15 days ago

posting a bit late today, intense day - enjoying my 1965 Breitling SuperOcean ref. 2005 Mk1 „Slow Motion“.

unique, innovative, a bit quirky, a typical Willy Breitling design - and exclusive adaptation of the Venus cal. 188 to a center-chrono caliber with a huge diamond-tip hand displaying dive minutes, while an index window at 6 shows chrono activity (lume filled when running, a small lume dot when paused, blank when inactive).

lovely on the wrist ❤️ by @watchfred

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16 days ago

Nina on a brown cuff strap - no chance I‘ll ever look as good as Nina did ▶️, but love the combo 😎

#universalgeneve #compax #houseofbrands #watchfam #watchesofinstagram by @watchfred

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18 days ago

weirdly enough, my #NaviFriday post was removed by instagram ?
deserves to return: the Navitimer Mk1.3, was the first to carry the model ref. 806 and the last of the Valjoux72-based Navitimer.

A small batch of 200 Mk1.3 was assembled in November 1955 after 1,100 “pre-ref” R72-Navitimer , the next 65,457 ref. 806 held the Venus cal. 178, so “rather rare” 😎
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Mk1.3 have a slightly darker Radium lume and age beautifully 😍
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#breitling #watchfam #watchesofinstagram #Navitimer by @watchfred

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20 days ago